Steve mentioned this in his round-up post yesterday, but I feel it deserves some more attention.
Yesterday, more than 60 people were arrested by police in a raid on Q Bar in Shanghai, China.
AFP reports: "Police said "pornographic" shows were taking place when they arrived at the Q Bar in the early hours of Sunday, the Shanghai Daily reported. All those detained – DJs, customers and bar staff – were released later on Sunday, the report said. Some were held for up to 12 hours. Police and the bar owners were not immediately available for comment. Police gave no details about the shows that were allegedly being staged at the bar, which is a block away from the police station, the newspaper said."
Shanghaiist has the most thorough account of what went down, including these details:
The two Chinese proprietors of the bar, both named Tony, are confirmed to have been detained by police.
Witnesses: "According to their estimation, there were about five Caucasian patrons in the bar, but none of them were brought to the station. All other Chinese-looking party-goers were taken to the station in a police minivan in batches."
Arrestee: " In the ten plus hours we were locked up, we were kept without food or water, and this is inexcusable! Police attitude was also extremely rough! 60-70 people all cold and hungry and thirsty and tired. What law have we broken just drinking at a bar? If there was any problem with the bar, why let it operate in the first place?”
Detainees, which included a handful of female bar patrons, were reportedly not stripped but did not have access to jackets, and were kept in three rooms. Detainees were reportedly not tested for drugs but questioned extensively about the go-go boy act and whether the dancer was nude or had his genitalia visible.
Shanghaiist also notes: "A raid of this size on a gay bar has not been seen in Shanghai for years. In 2007, the former Club Deep, located in Jingan Park, had its Halloween party raided, shut down, and several party-goers detained for alleged drug abuse. Under Chinese law, the police can detain people without trial for a maximum of 24 hours, but let's hope the party-goers don't have to wait another 14 hours to be free."
(image via q bar)
